Browns' Kevin Griffin brings new meaning to cheerleading

Kevin Griffin has a unique perspective when it comes to game presentation, and it's not just because he brought weiner dog races to Seattle Sounders games.
As we mentioned in this week's print story on Griffin, the Browns' vice president of fan experience and marketing, the nephew of Archie Griffin was a four-year letterman in football at Ohio State.
Griffin was the first player to verbally commit to former Buckeyes coach John Cooper's 1994 recruiting class, and if you're an Ohio State diehard, you certainly remember Griffin scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt in the 1999 Sugar Bowl.
Griffin transitioned from big-time college football recruit to big-time soccer when he became director of fan development and community relations for the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders FC in January 2005.
In 2012, the Sounders set a Major League Soccer attendance record for the fourth consecutive year with an average crowd of 43,144 — 20,008 ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who were second in attendance.
The Sounders continue to thrive in Griffin's absence, with a 2013 norm of 40,520 fans per game, which leads Major League Soccer by almost 19,000 per contest.
“It's an incredible environment,” Griffin said of Sounders matches. “I've been fortunate enough to travel around the world and experience some of the better sports cultures and stadium experiences, and that's all kind of played into this (role with the Browns).”
When he was one of about 30 candidates to interview with team president Alec Scheiner for a job that is a unique one in professional sports — a person in charge of keeping the fans involved — Griffin knew the Browns' game-day atmosphere, like the roster, needed some work.
“When Joe (Banner, the team's CEO) and Alec interviewed me, and I did a lot of research myself, there were a few things that stood out,” Griffin said. “I had been to a few Cleveland Browns games in the past. Some of (the things that stood out) were (stadium) structural issues that we will fix but will take a little longer.
“The other stuff,” he continued, “was just from a creative standpoint and a game presentation standpoint — looking at resources and applying some creativity to that — and making the game more entertaining.”
When I interviewed Griffin at training camp a couple weeks ago, he was quick to note that the best way to improve the game-day experience at FirstEnergy Stadium is for the Browns to build a winning on-field product.
That's the job of Banner, general manager Mike Lombardi and the coaching staff.
Griffin's job is to worry about the rest — the music, the video presentations, the player introductions, even the dog races (which are expected to make their Cleveland debut at halftime of Thursday's preseason game against the Lions).
One much-griped-about subject on which the Browns' new regime clearly agrees with the fans: It's a football game, so stand up and cheer.
“We should all be standing,” Griffin said. “Who should be sitting on third down? Anybody that complains about somebody standing in front of them on a third down, that's crazy. We're at a football game, right?”
When Griffin decided to interview for the role Scheiner created in an effort to close the widening gap between the Browns and their rabid fans, he heard from a few friends in the NFL about the Browns' game-day presentation.
“I had other executives around the league before I took this job, they said, 'You should look at what they do for pregame introductions,' ” Griffin said. “That speaks volumes to where a team is going to invest in a brand. Video production — there have been a lot of things (the Browns are changing).
“But I can tell you this,” Griffin continued. “It wasn't for the lack of the type of people we have in the building, because I've been really impressed with our staff. They work hard. It was really more of the matter of maybe bringing the vision together and having a collective idea of what we're trying to do. That's what Joe and Alec have been able to do — bring that idea to life.”
Last Thursday, the Browns made their preseason debut with a win over the Rams in which they actually looked like they had a plan. They seemed organized, well-coached and were undoubtedly aided by a Rams team that appeared as if they were about as interested in playing preseason football as many season-ticket holders are about being forced to pay for it.
There was, as expected, a rejuvenated game presentation, too.
Players were introduced with smoke and fire, and there was a disc jockey on the field prior to the contest.
It had a different feel, and if Griffin gets his way, it will play a small part in fans having a better experience at FirstEnergy Stadium.
As a former Buckeye, he is well aware that the on-field product is how most fans define their stadium enjoyment.
But the other stuff matters, too.
As we noted in the Crain's print story, what Griffin and the Browns are doing is far from revolutionary.
Pro sports franchises have to do everything they can to keep their fans involved.
Watching a game at home — especially in the NFL, with the Sunday Ticket, Red Zone channel and fantasy football — often seems like the best way to experience pro sports.
Weiner dog races and DJs don't change that.
What can: Making the fans feel like you care.
Previous regimes did a poor job of conveying that.
It's (very) early, but Scheiner and Griffin and Co. are slowly changing that sentiment.

Bernie, Bernie — how you can call (a game)

Banner, as has been the case during his lengthy NFL career, acted swiftly once word of Bernie Kosar's TV commentary became national.
Once St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher voiced his displeasure with Kosar's on-air criticisms of the Rams during last week's broadcast and Sports Illustrated writer Peter King chimed in on Twitter, the Browns had to get involved.
Some found Kosar's comments about the Rams' receivers and backup quarterback Kellen Clemens amusing. Others — King was clearly in this camp — thought they were offensive.
Banner did the right thing by issuing a statement early Sunday night saying the Browns didn't “condone” Kosar's “personal and unprofessional approach.”
By putting the opinionated — and often off-the-wall — Kosar behind a live microphone for three hours, the Browns know there is a chance something outlandish will happen.
Thursday, that was the case.
By acting quickly and decisively, Banner squashed the controversy before it made the national rounds on Monday.
And by keeping Kosar paired with Jim Donovan on preseason broadcasts, fans who are otherwise bored with preseason football can still hear Bernie's analysis — which, in addition to being strange at times, is far more insightful than the likes of Dan Dierdorf, Steve Tasker and Tony Siragusa.
You can follow me on Twitter for sports information, analysis and, in a month, memorable moments from Dan Dierdorf's latest NFL broadcast.

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